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Civil War Truce

Remarkable Little-Known

Story of Sister Lucy

iPad/iPhone/Android/

Google Play/Amazon/Kindle

A jewel, interesting and fun

By Victoria Hubble

Civil War Truce is a jewel, interesting and fun. It was a surprise to discover the role that the Sister

had played in the war. The graphics were superb and kept me reading right straight through. I

couldn't put it down.

Armistice in 1962

By The Kindle Book Review

President Andrew Johnson declared the end of the American Civil War on May 9, 1965. But the truce of the title refers to a lesser-known ceasefire of January 3, 1862, in Paducah, Kentucky. On that day a moving ceremony took place, during which files of soldiers—Union and Confederate; active and captive; healthy, sick or injured—watched a ship-of-war fly the flag of truce and move slowly down the Ohio River. The reason for the brief armistice, and the passenger of this ship, is the subject of Civil War Truce.

Not an ebook per se, but an interactive app for phone and tablet, Civil War Truce is a synthesis of text, music, video and still images. The narrative was extensively researched and smartly, affectionately written; the images include historical photographs, scans of illustrations and Library of Congress archives. The sound engineering is excellent: original music, battlefield recreations and voiceovers lend depth and texture to the screen. App co-creator Margaret Hultz performed the four vocal tracks, including a mostly nonverbal rendition of “Silent Night” (she hums in place of the lyric “All is calm/all is bright,” which is an impossibly clever detail).

The reader may prefer the audio to the visuals which, while mostly top-notch, at times draw unwanted attention. The navigational arrows, sepia-toned watermarks, picture frames and markers for interactive features are necessary, ornate without being tacky, but when the cut-out artwork takes flight (fish, ships, names on maps) the effect is amateurish. Moreover, it is a surprise that the footnotes are not interactive. The reader can nevertheless find them online, at the app’s home page.

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth provided a neutral, healing place for wounded and ill soldiers on both sides of the conflict; free from armed hostilities, free from pressure to convert. The Civil War was a long, atrocious conflict, but this book is painfully short, and not without reason. Davis Studio strikes nearly the perfect balance of exposition, entertainment and theme. It is difficult to imagine this story being told any other way.

--C.E. Alexander, for The Kindle Book Review

The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.

This app was done with great excellence and the historical accuracy...

By Julianna Battenfield

This app was done with great excellence and the historical accuracy is on-par with something the History Channel would produce. The combination of music, history, pictures and other media enhances the experience and makes us wonder about ourselves and our impact we are making on the world. I was very moved by the story of Sister Lucy's life; I wish more apps like this one told more stories of noble, courageous women who changed the world! Well done!

Interactive history = Great concept!

By Tantezoe

Civil War Truce is a wonderfully interactive history lesson! It brought to life a previously lost, and intriguing, chapter of regional Civil War history. Although a student of history, I never considered what brave contribution nuns had made during that time. Obviously well researched and well written, the linked videos, maps, photos, and especially the music, add interest that helped me “be there” in time and place. I was engaged from beginning to end!

This approach would be a fantastic way to teach history to young people!

I do wish there was a way to magnify or “drill in” to the maps and photos, to see more details.

Loved it!

By A. B. Wood

This book/app (bap?) was unique and very engaging - I'm glad I stumbled upon it. It tells an intriguing story and I wish my history books had been like this in school! I enjoyed the animations and interactive nature of this reading experience. Would love to see more like this.

love this app

By Sandra L Swift

I love this app. Being an Irish Catholic, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a civil war buff and reenactor and my family being from Paducah, KY, I was totally pulled in to this story. I highly recommend it. The design, music, graphics were wonderfully done. Download and enjoy!!

What a Gem!!!

By Alexander Winters

I was totally pulled into this story partly because of the history from the area I live in and partly to the incredible writing skills of Davis Studios. The research that was put into this story kept my attention from beginning to end. The story is very heartwarming and brings a glimpse of compassion and peace during a very nasty and turbulent war. This story has inspired me to research the history further on my own, and has inspired me to make a pilgrimage to the areas discussed in the story as well as a trip to the grave of Sister Lucy! Can't wait for the next production from Davis Studios! I am truly a fan!

Truly a winner

By Amazon Customer

I was a lucky winner when I received Civil War Truce. The music, pictures and videos brought the war to prospective. I had no idea who these sisters were and how important they were during this time. School textbooks should be like this. I am a lover of history and I am crazy about this video. I can't wait for more.

150 years ago, and though we do not celebrate ...

By Jeanette Fettig, CSC

150 years ago, and though we do not celebrate anything to do with war, we do commemorate the ending of the Civil War. This is a moving story of a simple women and the difference she made at the time. The creativity of the presentation is delightful, I encourage all to give it a read.

History comes to life

By Trace Salmon

I loved the interactive nature of this app. It allows you to explore historical figures in depth and gives context for this inspiring story. Civil War Story is filled with juicy, historical details, which makes reading rich and fun. The music is haunting, so each page becomes a whole sensory experience. I LOVED that the authors invite the reader to participate in their historical quest-too cool. I will be using this with students next year for sure.

Beautiful Civil War story

By E. Wood

What a beautifully told story about a brave young Catholic sister. I love the interactive aspect of the app and the geek in me especially loves the content of the background stories that pop up throughout. The photographs are gorgeous and heartbreaking and the music and the sound effects do a great job of setting the mood. What a wonderfully entertaining and painless way to learn about an especially painful time.

Very cool concept...

By Mark W. – American Civil War Magazine

I thought it was a very cool way to tell a great story. The videos and music really helped make this story a complete experience. If you enjoy history, especially little known stories from history, you will enjoy this app.

Civil War Truce

By Cathysbookfan

When my son was studying the Civil War at school, he was required to write about a real person who had lived during that period. He was pretty frustrated with this project until he found this app. Beautifully designed and vividly written, replete with maps, music, historical photos and rich description, this app inspired him to write about this fascinating young nun who selflessly and bravely helped hundreds of dying and wounded soldiers from both sides in the Civil War. A fun, memorable and meaningful way to learn more about this critical time in US history.

Very Impressive

By Cherykat

Loved it! I’m not typically a history reader I would rather watch a documentary. This app was recommended to me by a friend and as leery as I was I trusted my friend. To my surprise this app was great, almost like watching a documentary. A very easy read with each page separated perfectly. The music and little virtual picture surprises were fun and made you want to keep reading! I definitely recommend this app for any history buff and definitely very informative for a school essay. Great app!! Enjoy.